A Beautiful Soul
by Knarx
Summary: When two best friends fall unknowingly in love with each other what could possibly come between the two, but a horse, a cat, a rat, and a not-so-dimwitted Tohru. Yaoi. HaruMomi.
1. Sweet Dreams

Hey guys, so I know I have three other fics to finish, but this story has been sitting on the back burner just waiting for me to finish so here's the first chapter. Also, I have been working diligently on the tenth chapter of Tamed and the second chapter of Scent Awakening, both of which are nearly completed. So, keep a look out for those two stories to be updated soon maybe even later today.

**Disclaimer: Of Course, I do not own Fruits Basket it belongs to the talented Natsuki Takaya. **

**Warning: Yaoi SLASH, MALExMALE, men loving men, I think you get the picture. **

**Summary: When two best friends fall unknowingly in love with each other, what can possibly come between the two but a horse, a cat, a rat, and a not-so-dimwitted Tohru. HaruMomi. Yaoi. Angst.  
**

**A Beautiful Soul**

**Written by Anica K. Narxus **

**Chapter 1**

_Gentle…Soft…Sweet…_

Standing in front of his body length mirror, Hatsuharu Sohma shook his head as he fastened the buttons on his white oxford uniform shirt. Leaving the top three buttons undone, Haru fixed his collar, his black tie forgotten, hanging over the mirror.

_Gentle hands…Soft hair…Sweet, soft lips… _

"Stop thinking about it…"

Haru bent to pick up a leather choker from the nightstand.

His previous birthday, Haru had received a black leather choker with a sterling silver cowbell attached at the middle. It had been a present, from _him_.

_His gentle hands, clinging to my shirt. His soft golden-blonde hair, beneath my fingers. His sweet, soft lips, against mine. _

"Dreams, that's…all they are…"

Haru tucked his shirt in, and fastened his belt.

"_Haru…Ashiteru…" _

"He'd never say that…"

Haru smoothed his shirt, and then realigned his choker so that it was centered on his neck.

"…to me."

_His body, pressed firm against mine. His small pink tongue, caressing mine._

Hatsuharu swore. He would never get to school at this rate.

Sitting on the edge of his bed, Haru tried to banish the dream from his mind, tried to calm himself.

_He moans, as I gently take his luscious bottom lip between my teeth. _

Slowly inhaling and exhaling, Haru leaned down to tie his shoes.

"_Haru…" He moans again, when I press our bodies impossibly closer together._

Haru finished tying his shoes and moved to stand once more before his full length mirror.

He quickly ruffled his hair and then smoothed it, to set it how he liked it.

"He'd push me away, if I did that…"

Haru glanced at his alarm clock, when he heard the knock at the front door, followed by his name being called.

"Haru!"

"_Haru…"_

"Shit!"

Haru took one last look in the mirror and then quickly grabbed his school bag, and ran to meet Momiji at the door.

_

* * *

_

_His eyes shone. A smirk upon his face._

"His eyes looked strange." Momiji mumbled. "Good thing it was just a dream; he'd never do that."

Momiji had put in a pair of earrings that he had received from a dear friend, it was random. There was no reason to the cute silver carrot shaped ornaments.

_Silver carrots sparkling…our bodies touching..._

These were in the dream, thought Momiji. "That's weird. Well, no, I like them. Touching…we'd never do that." The blonde giggled as he straightened himself up a little bit more in front of the mirror. "Gotta hurry, or I'll be late, he doesn't like it when I'm late."

_He embraces me, passionately…his chest pale and bare…his hand, slowly caressing my cheek…his eyes, on my lips…_

"…it was just a hug…" Momiji blushed. "I didn't want to wake up."

Momiji stared, tilting his head to the left, at the mirror to see what he would look like in front of his friend. Would Haru notice that he was wearing the earrings he gave to him? "Probably not," The short, effeminate boy said aloud as he gave the mirror one last look.

He grabbed his messenger bag on his way out of his house; slinging the strap over his shoulder.

"His hands were gentle when he held me. I wonder what it would feel like to- I am _not_ thinking about that anymore!"

_

* * *

_

Momiji called Haru's name as he knocked on his door. Once more, he wondered whether Haru would notice that he was wearing the earrings, but deemed it unlikely. Momiji shrugged as he waited a couple seconds for his friend to answer the door.

Haru opened the door finally, and Momiji smiled his wonderfully warm smile; maybe making it a little more chipper than he usually did. His soft brown eyes caught a silver item dangling at Haru's neck. It was the choker with the little cow bell, he was wearing it! Momiji's face flushed hugely, Haru had been wearing that in the dream.

Momiji reminded himself to breath. "How are you today, Haru?" His voice bright and chipper, "Are you ready to get going to school? I just can't wait to see Tohru!" He added to keep his mind distracted.

He wouldn't mind ditching class just to spend the day with Haru, not that he would ever tell the other teen that because then Haru would think he was weird and he never wanted him to think that of him. Plenty of people already thought he was weird, and if Haru started to think that…Well, Momiji just wasn't going to think about it.

* * *

Haru didn't think that Momiji was weird. He thought he was strange and, a bit high-strung at times, but not weird. He liked how Momiji was constantly full of energy, with his obvious love for life. He loved that Momiji was empathetic to the emotions of everyone around him - that his tears were never spilt selfishly; every drop full of emotion, not a one wasted.

Haru was greeted with a bright smile when he opened the front door; Momiji's smile.

"How are you today, Haru?"

Haru was on the cusp of Black Haru taking over and so smiled and sneered at the same time as he spoke, sounding partially deranged. "I'm bloody fantastic! And you?"

The cursed teen saw an emotion he couldn't place flit across Momiji's face momentarily before his energetic nature took over once more; his ridiculously happy smile returning.

Haru's eyes caught the sparkle of Momiji's earrings as they reflected the morning sun, shining prettily upon the blonde's ears. The atmosphere lightened considerably as Black Haru's noxious aura receded back into the depths of Haru's mind.

A genuine smile graced Haru's face for the first time that morning.

Ruffling Momiji's hair, Haru said, "Come on, Sunshine, let's go," before walking on ahead of Momiji, missing the blush upon the blonde's cheeks.

The walk to Shigure's seemed to pass quickly for Haru who had been lost in thought the whole time and did not notice that he had not spoken a word to Momiji since they had left his home.

All too soon the silence was broken as they entered the Dog's home and were greeted by Shigure, Tohru, and Yuki. Kyo did not greet them, instead he huffed, "Took you long enough. Did the heifer need milking on the way?"

"I'm a boy, hairball!" Black Haru bubbled up to the surface, but was quickly tamed when Momiji put his hand gently on his arm and whispered, "Calm down, Haru."

Yuki smacked Kyo upside the head who yelped, "Stupid rat!"

"You almost brought out Black Haru! And don't say such things in front of Tohru-san, Cat. Now, say, 'thank you, oh great Yuki-sama for showing me my awful ways.'" Yuki taunted.

"Fuck you—shit! Why'd you hit me for, Lazy Shigure?" Kyo yelled, holding his offended head.

The novelist chuckled, "Have a good day at school, kids!"

Shigure shooed the teens outside, still laughing to himself.

* * *

Yuki and Kyo were still bickering, and Momiji and Tohru were deep in conversation, which left Haru to ponder about what had happened at Shigure's house. Momiji had calmed his dark side with a gentle touch and kind words. That had never happened before.

Haru watched Momiji animatedly describing something to Tohru. Haru smiled, the little blonde was so carefree and light hearted. Momiji waved his hands around excitedly about something and then smiled at Haru when he noticed the man watching him.

The older cursed teen's face heated up at the radiant smile. He's so beautiful like that, Haru thought.

"_Haru…Ashiteru…" _

Haru brazenly shook off the remnants of that mornings dream and went and joined Tohru and Momiji in their conversation.

"Hey Sunshine, what are you guys talking about?" ruffling Momiji's hair as he did so.

* * *

"Did you just hear that? He called him 'Sunshine'! How mushy can you get?" The Cat scoffed.

"How long do you think it will take them to get together?" The Rat asked.

"'the fuck should I know, stupid Rat!"

"Don't call me stupid, idiot! Besides, I think Sunshine fits him, all that energy he has."

"Just like Prince Yuki fits you, you know with that sticks shoved up your ass— hey, let go of my ear!"

"Say you're sorry, and I'll let go." Yuki admonished, dragging Kyo by his aforementioned ear.

Tohru popped in between the two bickering teens, effectively dislodging Yuki's grip from Kyo's flaming ear. "Whatcha two fighting about?"

"Hi, Tohru-san, we were just discussing Haru and Momiji-kun."

"I absolutely love how Haru calls him Sunshine, it's so romantic."

"Stupid Tohru, now you sound just like the rat. It's sickening, not romantic. I wish they'd hurry up and realize their mutual affection so we can stop seeing them mush all over each other." Kyo said poking the clumsy girl on the forehead.

"I think the imbecilic cat doth protest too much." Yuki teased.

"Fucking Rat, I'm going to kill you!"

"You'll have to catch me first!" Yuki hollered, already sprinting away from Kyo.

Tohru watched the teens chasing after each other in the distance, a small smile upon her face. "There are too many secrets in this family."

Momiji and Haru rejoined Tohru as their school came into sight. "What are they fighting about, now?" Momiji inquired.

Tohru giggled, "Oh, nothing much, just Shakespeare."

Hatsuharu and Momiji looked at each other dumbfounded, "They're what?" they said in unison.

The not-so-dim girl, giggled again and said, "Come on, we're going to be late for class."

**tbc**

* * *

**A/N: **So, what did you guys think? I know it's a little different than my other stories, but I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Please review! Reviews make the writer type faster. ;)


	2. In The Dark

**A/N:** Hi everyone, I know it's been awhile since I last updated, but I've been at a loss as to where to take this cute fic. However, I've not only got this chapter done but two more following this one; they just aren't typed up yet.

I also have a good portion of the next chapter for Tamed written as well as the next chapter for Gravitational Problems also just needs to be typed. Scent Awakening is driving me mad, because I know what I want to happen, in fact I have up to chapter 6 outlined and partially written so just be patient, it too will be updated soon.

Thank you everyone that had reviews the first chapter! I like Haru's collar too! And I have a soft spot for these two as well, they are too cute!

**Disclaimer: **Don't own it, nope, not mine. I'm merely borrowing these cute boys and the rest of Fruits Basket cast for my own little story.

**Chapter rating:** PG-13 for minor sexual content.

**Chapter 2**

As the teens arrived to school the Yuki Fan Club, as well as a group of Kyo's and Momiji's admirers surrounded them.

The group of girls and a few guys greeted them, asking them how they were, one brave soul even asked Kyo if he'd go out with her.

Kyo told the girl to get bent and stormed off, while Yuki's eye started twitching in irritation and Tohru tried to calm Haru who was quickly becoming Black.

Yuki schooled his features and politely told everyone that as Student Council President he was ordering them all to get to class. For the most part it worked.

Three ninth year girls approached Momiji, giggling nervously.

"Sohma-kun, who do you think is cuter: me, Kana-chan, or Akiko-chan?" The smaller girl of the bunch asked, smiling shyly.

Momiji smiled brightly. "All of you are equally cute."

Haru saw red. Momiji sensed the dark aura emanating off of his friend, his smile faltered. "Haru, is something wrong?"

"Oh, don't worry about him; he's just jealous because no one wants an emo wannabe." One of the girls said playfully. "Come on, Sohma-kun, you said we were cute, aren't you going to ask one of us out?"

"I—"

"He can't! He's mine!" Haru grabbed one of Momiji's wrists and drug him off to an empty classroom.

Yuki gave all of the girls after school chores for angering an upperclassman, and went in search of his angry cousin.

"That's not fair!" The girls whined.

Tohru being the only person left to hear them answered, "Yes, it is. You went too far, now off to class before you're late and are given more after school chores!"

The girls stared at Tohru in shock, this couldn't be the same airheaded girl they'd all heard about, but she was still their sempai, and so they bowed and ran off.

* * *

Black Haru slammed Momiji up against a wall and began kissing the short teen, holding his jaw so that he couldn't turn away. Momiji pushed at Haru's shoulders only to have his hands pinned above his head.

"Naughty boy!" Black Haru whispered against Momiji's lips dropping his hand from the brunette's jaw to his crotch.

Momiji did the only thing he could think of, he kneed Haru in the groin.

Haru let go of the blonde's wrists and clutched at himself.

"Fuck!"

Momiji rubbed at his aching wrists and watched as Black Haru receded and saw the moment that his Haru returned moments before he promptly passed out and became a cow. The horror in Haru's eyes was enough to give Momiji nightmares.

The blonde didn't give himself enough time to wonder whether Haru had forgotten what he'd just done or not, as he leant next to Haru and gently stroked his black and white spotted side.

"Haru...why'd you do it?" Momiji sniffled, and wiped tears away with the back of his hand.

Yuki appeared moments later, "I tried to come as fast as I could, what happened, he go completely black? He didn't hurt you, did he?"

Momiji self-consciously rubbed at his wrists which were already beginning to bruise. "Not on purpose."

Yuki huffed, "Well, we can't leave him here as he is. Call that lazy dog and tell him what happened, and I'll go find the stupid cat."

Yuki left muttering something like, "Who does he think he is, hurting him like that? Just wait 'til you wake up, I'm going to personally kick your spotted ass."

Momiji pulled out his bejewelled cell and called Shigure, explaining in layman's terms what had happened, leaving out his involvement, and then quickly stored his phone away, and continued his petting of Haru's rough coat.

* * *

Haru slowly came into consciousness, blinking his eyes several times until an all too familiar ceiling came into focus. He was at the Sohma Compound as he liked to think of it. The main house was more of prison than a home under the cruel rule of Warden Akito. Haru chuckled at his demure musings; Akito would kick his heifer ass if he ever learned of Haru's pet name for the main house.

Wiping sleep from his eyes and sitting up on the side of the bed he'd been sleeping on, Haru wondered idly why he was there and not at home. The last thing he remembered was a group of idiotic school girls hounding his sweet Momiji-kun._ His?_ Haru shook off that notion, trying to remember what happened next. Quick little flashes accosted his psyche. Momiji thrown against a wall, someone kissing him, _groping_ him! Had he done that? _Oh, God! How could I? What else did I do while Black?_

Haru clutched his two-toned hair, what had happened after that? Everything was a blank, nothing. Had he stopped there, had he forced Momiji, had he hurt him?

"Fuck!" Haru got up and kicked an unsuspecting chair, hurdling it at the wall; the poor wooden chair never had a chance as it broke apart into many splintered pieces.

"Tch, tch, tch. What did that chair ever do to you?"

Haru nearly jumped out of his skin, turning his glare onto the sultry woman standing at the door, ignoring the seductive tone to her voice. It would be a long day in hell before he ever found that voice arousing again. "What the hell do you want, Rin?"

"Why does it have to be _him_?" Rin asked, slowly walking towards Haru, cantering her hips seductively. "We used to be so good together." She fluttered her eyelashes, gently running a manicured finger down Haru's forearm.

Haru growled and jumped away from Rin's advances. "What the fuck, Rin?"

"You used to love me, Haru! When did you stop? When did it become _him_? When we were still together? When Akito butchered my hair? When, Haru!"

The two-toned haired teen winced at Rin's screeching. "Why are you being like this, Rin? We haven't been together for a long time. Why does it matter to you so much?" Haru shook his head in frustration. He cared a lot about Momiji, and if he were honest with himself, his "love" for Rin had never been love at all. She was merely someone he had clung to when he realised that Yuki would never be his. Of course, Yuki had never inspired feelings in him the way Momiji did, but then, Yuki had been a childhood crush; his Sunshine was so much more than "just a crush", he loved the little guy. Sighing in exasperation, Haru looked straight at Rin and confessed something that he had never told anyone other than Yuki, "I'm gay."

Rin stopped mid rant, her eyes practically glowing in the dimly lit room. "No." It was a whisper, as if she didn't say it too loud it wouldn't be true. "No, you're not. W-we made love! You! No, it's not true, stop lying, Haru, it isn't funny!"

"But it is true, I'm so sorry, Rin." Haru said truthfully, the sorrow in his voice audible.

Rin's face took on a look of absolute disbelief and disgust, before she ran from the room.

* * *

Later that day after school, Momiji, Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki were all sat in Shigure's living room discussing Hatsuharu.

Momiji tenderly traced the finger shaped bruises on his wrists while he explained to Tohru, Yuki, and Kyo what had transpired between Haru and him before Yuki had shown up. The three teens listened carefully, all of them taking notice of the way Momiji kept touching his bruised wrists as though he were almost glad they were there.

"Black Haru's never harmed you before, I wonder what's changed? In fact, the one common denominator between Black Haru and White Haru is protecting you. " Tohru pondered aloud. "You usually seem to have a calming effect on him, as well."

"Yea, real calming effect he has alright. The heifer only dragged him off to an empty classroom to have his dirty way with him, that sound protective to you; more territorial if you ask me." Kyo added, earning a thump on the head from Yuki. "Cut that out, Rat, before I kick your girly ass!"

"Stupid Cat, Tohru's on to something. Haru has never retaliated at Momiji when he goes Black. In fact, I've noticed, too, that he seems to calm down in Momiji's presence."

"Whatever." Kyo grumbled, crossing his arms angrily, unable to argue with that fact.

Momiji was about to ask a question when Shigure entered the living room.

"Sorry to interrupt this little love fest but I just thought you should know that I just got off the phone with Hatori and he said that our resident cow is fine and that he is at the Main House resting. Also, Tohru can I get your help with something in the kitchen and there's this scene in my latest chapter that I wondering if you could look over?"

Kyo eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Yuki said, "You better not make her read anything dirty, mutt."

Momiji just watched the display curiously while thinking about Haru. Haru hated the Main House, he saw it as nothing more than a prison. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to deal with Akito while he was there. Momiji shuddered, just thinking about the head of the family made him cringe.

Momiji curled up in his armchair and quickly fell asleep to Yuki and Kyo fighting about something the other had said.

* * *

Hatsuharu was currently undergoing one of the worst beatings he'd ever been subjected to from the head of the family. Akito's strength was inhuman.

"Gay? GAY! Who do you think you are? You're only supposed to love ME! You're sick, SICK! First you bed that filthy horse, and now I hear that you've fallen for that pathetic animal?" Akito backhanded Haru, sending the teen crashing to floor.

Haru licked his swollen lip where blood was pooling. He hated this man; he had no right to tell him who to love. Only the power that the head of the family possessed stopped him from going Black. How he'd love to rip Akito to shreds for what he'd put them all through, but he'd learned a long time ago that it was futile to fight back; no one matched Akito in strength or agility.

Akito grabbed Haru by his hair, dragging the teen from the floor and level with his face. "Well, what do you have to say for yourself? Anything? Not going to refute the claims against you? I also hear that you turned and hurt the little rabbit you claim to care so much about. Well, got anything to say for yourself?"

"Fuck you."

Akito reared back as though he'd been hit, dropping Haru onto the floor.

"Get out! GET OUT!" Akito screeched, falling to his knees and clutching at his face manically.

Hatsuharu wasted no time stumbling to his feet and running out of Akito's room, nearly colliding with Hatori on his way out.

* * *

_**Tall mirrors surrounded him. Tall, misshapen fun house mirrors. Mirrors filled with misshapen horses and Akito. **_

_**Horses neighed, and bucked manically. Akito's distorted face smiled evilly, and laughed.**_

_**He crawled backwards away from them.**_

_**Akito swiped at him, the horses reared up and tried to stomp him.**_

_**They couldn't get him, they were trapped in the mirrors, but somehow they reached out to him from within them. **_

_**Like a screwed up 3D movie their limbs, hooves, snouts, and Akito's head could extent out of the mirrors; their bodies trapped. **_

_**No matter how far he crawled backwards, they would reach him. He couldn't escape.**_

_**His back hit a wall.**_

_**The horses reared up, their hooves above him. Akito reached his elongated arms out, aimed for his neck. **_

_**The horses neighed, Akito laughed, he screamed.**_

"Momiji, Sunshine, wake up."

Momiji sat straight up, breathing heavily. The blonde teen took in his surroundings. He was still in the living room but it was now dark, the only light coming in through the windows from the moon.

He felt a hand grasp his shoulder and nearly jumped out of the chair, before he recognised Haru's silhouette.

"Haru, what, I had a dream that," Momiji shook his head. "Never mind, are you okay? Akito didn't hurt you, did he?"

"I'm fine, I'll live." Haru assured quietly.

The blonde was sure if there was light, that he'd see a smirk on the cow's face. Momiji reached out in the dark, feeling along Haru's arms and up to his face trying to gauge injuries the older teen was sure to have.

Haru stopped Momiji's hands' progression just shy of his chin, holding the other teen's hands gently in his own briefly before letting them go. "You can see in the morning, Sunshine. Come join me on the couch?"

They sat in the dark together on the couch in silence. Both teens knew they had to talk about what had happened, but neither knew how to begin.

"Did I hurt you?" Haru finally said. It was his worst fear, that he had somehow maimed the other boy or violated him.

"No. You scared me, quite a lot, but I'm fine."

"Did I...touch you? I have all these disjointed memories and I can't separate my Black side's thoughts from reality."

Momiji stiffened beside Haru and didn't say anything for a long time, too caught up in his own memories and unable to decide what to tell his best friend. Not that there was much to tell. It had ended about as quickly as it began.

The blonde briefly explained what had happened in the classroom while he'd been under Black Haru's "care."

* * *

Haru shuddered and was somewhat relieved and yet horrified. He had suspected that he had manhandled Momiji, and it wasn't anywhere near as bad as what his Black side had been thinking, but he had still violated the younger teen, even if said teen had quickly stopped it by kicking him in his bits. Haru cringed, glad he couldn't remember that part, but that didn't explain why Momiji didn't seem to be afraid of him or even blame him, and he should. He had broken some sort of trust; he could feel it through the other's body language.

Haru sighed, and steeled himself. "Can you ever forgive me?" He wanted nothing more than to gather his Sunshine up and take him away from the ugly world and eradicate Black Haru's doings from the younger teen's mind. "I violated you and bruised you." Haru could barely make out Momiji's hands in the dark. The blonde was rubbing his bruised wrists. Momiji had told him about that as well in his recanting. Haru reached out as though to sooth his Sunshine's aching wrists but stopped himself, surely Momiji wouldn't want him to touch him now.

"You didn't mean it, it wasn't you. Not really. You would never knowingly do anything to hurt me. Black Haru hasn't before, either." Momiji's voice trembled slightly. "What changed, Haru? Why'd your Black side do that to me?"

Haru could tell that Momiji was crying. He had caused it; he had never made Momiji cry before, and so he said the only thing that came to mind, "It was the girls." What? Well, on second glance of what Haru could recall, that was true enough, but he was confused about why it had bothered him so much. That damn dream had had him on the cusp of going Black since he'd wakened that morning and so his control had already been fragile and since it was geared towards Momiji that's what his Black side had latched onto, but he wasn't ready for that conversation; explaining to Momiji why his Black half had targeted him specifically.

"What?" Momiji asked, sniffling, confusion plain in his voice.

"Never mind, but you do know that Black Haru is an extension of me, right? He's sort of like my manic subconscious without inhibitions or conscience."

"I don't understand, you want to do those things to me? Haru?" Momiji grabbed Haru's arm suddenly, startling the older teen.

Haru didn't know how to answer that without damning himself further. Instead he gathered Momiji into a fierce hug, if the smaller teen didn't want him to touch him he'd just push him away, and he would let him if that would make the blonde comfortable. "I'm so sorry, Momiji. It won't happen again, I promise. I can't tell you now, but I will, okay?"

Momiji sniffled and hugged Haru just as fiercely back. "Alright, Haru, as long as you promise to tell me when you're ready."

The two teens lapsed into silence and soon fell asleep still embracing one another.

* * *

TBC

Chapter 2 End

A/N: Chapter 3 will be up by next week if not sooner.

Please let me know what you thought of this chapter by leaving a review! Thanks!


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